Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Season the flour with salt and pepper and mix well. Dust lamb shanks in the seasoned flour, shake off excess.

Heat a large frypan over a medium high heat, add a little oil. Brown the lamb shanks well on all sides. Remove and place them in a small roasting dish or large casserole dish.

Reduce heat in the frypan and add a little extra oil. Add the onion and the cumin, cook for 1-2 minutes, stir occasionally. Add tomatoes, stock, honey and juice. Heat stirring until the mixture boils, turn off heat. Pour over the lamb shanks.

Cover the dish tightly with its lid or foil, place in oven. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the lamb shanks are very tender. Check after 1 hour, add a little water or stock if needed to keep the shanks just covered. Rest lamb shanks for 10 minutes. To serve cook the vegetables until just tender and place on a warm plate with the lamb shanks. Spoon sauce over lamb.

Serve with cooked pasta shells

Slow cooker option

Brown the lamb shanks well as per the recipe and place in the slow cooker. Place the onions and cumin in to the slow cooker with the lamb shanks. Add the tomatoes, stock, honey and juice. You may need to add a little beef stock or water if it appears that the liquid does not cover the lamb. Cover the slow cooker with its lid, cook on Low Setting for 8-10 hours or the High Setting for 4-5 hours.

As a source of an array of essential nutrients, dishes such as this including lamb contribute to overall wellbeing, being a source of iron and vitamin B12 for energy and zinc and selenium for a healthy immune system.

Check the dish simmers gently during the cooking time. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as the dish cooks as required.

Keep the sodium content of the dish low by using salt reduced stocks.

Beef and lamb can be enjoyed 3-4 times per week with plenty of vegetables and as part of a healthy lifestyle.